Please help me quit smoking

[harrietsmama]

I have successfully quit before, unfortunately I am really struggling to get back off.

What did you do to quit?

How do you deal with other smokers? like family that you adore otherwise.

how did you get past the morning cigarette?

Thank you, I have been in the closet due to shame for too long and I want to quit desperately!

[sophiesgrandma]

We have not allowed smoking in our house for many years, even when I was still smoking. This makes it easy not to smoke if no one in the home can do it and you don't go out with your family or friends when they do it.
Then first few days are toughest. I was down to 1-2 cigs a day when I quit. It was still difficult but not as difficult. If you go cold turkey from a 1/2 pack or more to none I would advise to use nicorette, but only enough to get you past a nic. fit. Drink plenty of cold water.
Don't do things you would do when you smoke as much as possible. Replace smoking with another compulsive activity such as walking, running, etc. I found exercise really helped curb the cravings.
Think about why you are quitting all the time and all the bad things associated with smoking.
Know it will be difficult the first week but the cravings don't last long.
Find someone to talk to about the difficulty but don't dwell on it.
Think of all the positive things that come out of quitting.
You will feel better.
You will live longer.
Smoking affects every vital organ and functioning of your body.
Your children won't see you or imitate you.

Stock up on lots of gum.
If you like cinnamon, get the cinnamon sticks and suck on them.
Suck on pretzels.
Drink lots of water to flush out the nicotine faster.
Know that all the anger you feel and depression is withdrawal symptoms.
Be loving and kind to yourself.

I did it and many, many people have done it. You CAN do it. You did it once, you can do it again. Sometimes it takes a few tries.
YOU CAN DO IT-YOU CAN STAY QUIT!!!!

I'm been quit for 6 years. I love it.

[A&A]

Acupuncture helps my dh.

[JessicaS]

I quit cold turkey years ago. Slowly reducing never worked for me.

It might help to make a big list of reasons to quit and really consider it. You need to include things like "more time with grandchildren, my children possibly watching me die from cancer" and terrible things like that.

You have to get in the mindset, not of "trying to quit" but "I will never smoke again"

I didn't have people around me that were smokers though, that would make it a lot harder. I wouldn't allow smoking in my home for starters. Do they smoke in their homes? Would they be willing to meet at your house or smoke outside?

[jassyp101]

I am an acupuncturist and have helped many people quit smoking. You come in 12 - 24 hours smoke free so you're really craving a cigarette and you leave with practically no cravings. Cravings will come back, but acupuncture is very empowering and works very well to help you quit if you're ready.

[nerdymom]

For me, I had to know that I wanted to be done. And I had to quit for myself, not out of shame or a sense of propriety. When I reached the point where I wanted to quit, I stopped smoking. There were always good excuses for keeping at it "well I still have a whole pack left" or "it's too stressful right now" but when I found myself no longer ENJOYING the cigarette, I decided to stop, cold turkey. I trashed the rest of the pack as a testament to my resolve. Better to trash them than to trash my body.

For a while I avoided situations where I would smoke (stopped drinking, took a few weeks off from visiting relatives that smoked) and trashed my ashtrays. It took a few weeks but after a while you begin to SMELL cigarettes when other people are smoking them, and after a while they begin to smell gross. Then one day they smell awful. and you know you have won!

Also - really important - IF YOU SMOKE ONE, IT DOESN'T MEAN YOU FAILED. It just means that you had a moment of weakness. You don't have to consider yourself a failure and start up again. Just forgive yourself and move on. I periodically had a smoke, every time I visited my grandmother for a couple months. but gradually they became less and less appealing and one day I couldn't even finish it because the taste was so nasty.

[harrietsmama]

I do very much want to quit, and I have been using the 'it's too stressful' excuse. We have just moved together with my honey's parents, brother and granddad.

My honey and his brother both smoke, but we have never smoked in the house. Even in winter. Well, actually Joe was smoking in his house, but he doesn't here.

Tom also wants to quit, but he isn't ready to try. He feels pressure = rebellion stuff each time we have tried to quit together, so I need to do this now on my own and let him take care of his own quitting.

I have cinnamon sticks, and I drink lots of water. I think I could swing an accupuncture appointment or 2, I didn't realize the time gap was beneficial so I will keep that in mind.

I just feel very overwhelmed in general, but I feel like if I can get the smoking out of the picture it will really have a big impact on all my other health issues (obvious) I know all the bad stuff about it, It's just really hard right now, I'm also supposed to be on a candida/gut healing diet and I have been spiraling with "this is bad for me, but I just don't feel good enough to do anything about it right now"

I'm in a rut. My belly is always such a mess. It takes a ton of energy to do all the stuff I need to in order to heal, so I haven't done much of anything. I'm really struggling with how to break it into steps that are manageable, ya know?

[Koalamom]

I am not a smoker, but wanted to share that I was listening to a youtube video from health guru David Wolfe, and he said that nicotine cravings are really because nicotine deplete the body of niacin (b3?), and nicotine gives the body the feeling of meeting the niacin needs, but is really depleting leading to further cravings.

I don't having any other help to share, but wanted to put this info out. If it isn't of help that is just fine.

I will be keeping you in my prayers to have strength.

[deditus]

I have heard that oatstraw tea is supposed to help, too.

[harrietsmama]

Thank you for the ideas! I know I am B complex deficient, and B3 was one of the ones I remember reading about with my other issues, can't remember in what context, but now that it has surfaced 2x, I guess I had better figure out how to get my B's in more effectively.

I'll try the Oatstraw tea too. Thank you for the encouragement and prayers

[karika]

First of all, no smoking in the house. Switch to Natural American Spirit (prerolled ready mades) right away. There are so many chemicals in the regular brands, they have their own withdrawal, so it is easier to go through that first IMO. If you typically smoke in the car, don't get in a car, take public transportation or bike. I have quit a couple times. The only time it was easy was when I replaced it with sex. We would have sex or some variation of it 7 times a day. Then I was busy eating and sleeping the rest of the 24 hrs... I never thought of cigs at all. I had no job though and wasn't looking after children so I had time. I have also replaced it with cannabis another time and that worked. But every time I had such strong connections to it... So now I buy a pouch of roll your own organic Natural American Spirit. It is supposed to be 50 cigs I think since it comes with a pack of 50 papers. It lasts me 1.5 to 2 months. Sometimes I go 24 hrs without any tobacco, and I only get a couple puffs out in the garage or outside before I need to return, so I relight the same one over and over... you can also use a vaporizer (a device that heats it up to just under the point of combustion) with the pure organic tobacco to get you through the nic if you want to quit for good

[sunshinejanie]

I used Chantix. I know, there has been some warnings with this med but, I thought I'd pass it o to you. I smoked for the better part of 15 years, I tried to quit other ways but, nothing worked. Three years ago we began our ttc journey and I wanted to be at my healthiest. My doc recommended Chantix and I thought I might as well try it, I had nothing to loose. It worked! It wasn't easy but, boy it helped! I wish you luck on your quitting, don't give up!!

[harrietsmama]

Originally Posted by sunshinejanie

I used Chantix. I know, there has been some warnings with this med but, I thought I'd pass it o to you. I smoked for the better part of 15 years, I tried to quit other ways but, nothing worked. Three years ago we began our ttc journey and I wanted to be at my healthiest. My doc recommended Chantix and I thought I might as well try it, I had nothing to loose. It worked! It wasn't easy but, boy it helped! I wish you luck on your quitting, don't give up!!

I tried it, but after 2 days my partner told me I had to quit it or leave. It interacted with my psych meds and made me quite mean I guess. My mom took it for four months and it made her vomit daily , the last 2 months she was vomiting so hard her nose would bleed. She continued anyway because she wanted to quit so bad.

I'm working on my mind right now, and I also think once I get my income for next month, I am going to go to the accupuncturist.

Does anyone know good questions to ask? I have only done accupuncture once and it was auricular, and I'm not sure what we were doing. My friend did it.

[harrietsmama]

Originally Posted by karika

First of all, no smoking in the house. Switch to Natural American Spirit (prerolled ready mades) right away. There are so many chemicals in the regular brands, they have their own withdrawal, so it is easier to go through that first IMO. If you typically smoke in the car, don't get in a car, take public transportation or bike. I have quit a couple times. The only time it was easy was when I replaced it with sex. We would have sex or some variation of it 7 times a day. Then I was busy eating and sleeping the rest of the 24 hrs... I never thought of cigs at all. I had no job though and wasn't looking after children so I had time. I have also replaced it with cannabis another time and that worked. But every time I had such strong connections to it... So now I buy a pouch of roll your own organic Natural American Spirit. It is supposed to be 50 cigs I think since it comes with a pack of 50 papers. It lasts me 1.5 to 2 months. Sometimes I go 24 hrs without any tobacco, and I only get a couple puffs out in the garage or outside before I need to return, so I relight the same one over and over... you can also use a vaporizer (a device that heats it up to just under the point of combustion) with the pure organic tobacco to get you through the nic if you want to quit for good

Hmmm, I didn't know you could get natural spirit loose - we roll our own already, but not organic or anything.

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by bluebirdmama1

I am not a smoker, but wanted to share that I was listening to a youtube video from health guru David Wolfe, and he said that nicotine cravings are really because nicotine deplete the body of niacin (b3?), and nicotine gives the body the feeling of meeting the niacin needs, but is really depleting leading to further cravings.

I don't having any other help to share, but wanted to put this info out. If it isn't of help that is just fine.

I will be keeping you in my prayers to have strength.

Just wanted to reiterate this.
I quit 2 years ago and it wasn't until I started taking HUGE doses of niacin (500mg 2x/day) that my cravings finally subsided. That was in January.

[rabbitmum]

Good luck to you! I quit five years ago, and I haven't missed it a day. It is wonderful to be free!

[eireann]

Originally Posted by harrietsmama

I have successfully quit before, unfortunately I am really struggling to get back off.

What did you do to quit?

How do you deal with other smokers? like family that you adore otherwise.

how did you get past the morning cigarette?

Thank you, I have been in the closet due to shame for too long and I want to quit desperately!

Hi. I hope you are able to quit. Your heart is in the right place; it just takes that step and follow up commitment. Easier said than done, I know, but the younger the better. I saw what it did to people I loved and that was enough for me.

This is is not meant to scare. It's just the facts of my life -

My mother smoked for a long time. She now has COPD and I take care of her. She's on o2 (unless she goes out in public; then she flat out refuses, regardless of the effect it has on her.) She cannot run or even walk after her grandchildren, and this is a woman who was unstoppable. Her heart, eye, and organs have suffered from it of course. Naturally, her biggest regret in life is smoking. If she hadn't smoked, well, life would probably be vastly different for her, her children and her grandchildren. Unfortunately its not a matter of how long you smoke either. COPD strikes at all ages. Christy Turlington was dx at 30.

I love my mother and seeing her struggle for breath is utterly heartbreaking. It's nothing you want to go through nor put your family through.

I hope you are able to stop.

[harrietsmama]

B vitamins... I see raw liver in my future, since that seems to be the best source to absorb and use them.

Thanks for narrowing stuff down for me, I was really starting to glaze over reading stuff...

This gives me a 2 birds with one stone approach since my gut doesn't make b vitamins like it is supposed to and also helps explain why my cravings are so strong.

I am starting to cook up broth and meals for myself so that when I reach my big quit day, all I have to do is defrost and heat up. I have been trying to ease into things for far too long. I'm going to do it all at once, measure out detox bath mixes, put cinnamon sticks by all of Tom's smoking stuff, ummm, I'm officially building a concrete plan. Thank you ladies